ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · ruler · rock · game · drill · content · degree · date

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. degree — temperature
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. content — happy
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. degree — an amount
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. rock — music
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. degree — from a university
  18. date — the fruit
  19. content — the amount
  20. game — a match
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rock — a stone
  24. drill — a practice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com